Thought I would start this one out ........... Coming in for my first show of the tour from a long long ways away. This one is going to be extra special because I am bringing my DAD. He has never been to a Dead show or a Phil show for that matter, but I think he might get it.....sort of.......

If my phone works in the show I will post updates here when I can. Later!

Parking lots all over. Theres a parking garage right next to the venue. There are several small lots scattered around the venue, but like louie said, there is a Penguins game right up the street so its going to be crowded at all lots probably.

yes, venue sucks but we are going to get a WISER TIME, heck yeah and a DANCIN.....and hey Phil...pull out NIght of 1000 stars wont ya and of course the DEW they are talkin bout and never hurts to throw in that EYES and STEPHEN that SLess has come to love...wow, 11/23 is sick.....I am so looking forward to this show....see you all soon!

WOW, mind blowing second set ya'll....gotta catch a plane here in 4 hrs back to sunny skies, but the lovelight>sweet babys arms>lovelight was enormous, CR sang with power and the big river was just tremendous, super high energy, shredding guitars and bass bombs from phil..

Phil plays the first set slow and methodically to warm up the instruments but second blows the roof off the sucker...prettymuch speeechless here.....have fun the rest of this tour guys...off to see that Trey character in CAli

Well here is my take. First off let me preface this by I saw the show front row directly in front of Phil so that always makes it a much better show already in my books.

Show started about 20-25 minutes late.

LTGTR I felt was better played and sang than in Reading. Nice jams from all during it.

Tenn Jed Not a bad version. Chris still a little unsure of when to come in with the verses on this one. Barry trying to give him the cue. A little late with vocals at times but overall a solid version.

Girl on the Mtn. Built up nicely. Nice Jam at the end. Phil looked like he enjoys playing this one.

Peggy. All I can say is SWEET. Chris great job on vocals I thought and Barry on Pedal Steel during this was really nice.

The Weight. Phil all smiles. Nice version. Pretty sick jam out of this one.

Doin that Rag. Well played. Chris did a nice job vocally. some nice band interplay

NFA Pretty smokin. Phil layin down a good groove. Barry and Larry rippin it up.

First set overall nice. Some great guitar chops throughout. About 70 minutes I think.

Back out about 9:55

Sitting on top of the World. Smoking country pickin on this one. Phil grinning away. Nice version.

Eagles on the highway. I thought it was a good song. Some heavy rock power cord stuff at times and it looked like phil dug rocking out.

Big River. Tore it up. Smokin all around. Good guitar during this.

He's gone. I thought it was ok. Vocally not the greatest. Not just Chris but the background stuff too. It seemed liked Larry a little lost at times on this one.

Mountains of the moon. Phil finally sings lead. Nice tempo. Good spacey jammin' through out and at the end. right into

Terp (inspiration on) fast tempo. good chops. crowd seemed into it.

Lovelight>Sweet Babys Arm>Lovelight. Rocked is all I can really say. Chris belting it out. Everyone smokin on leads. Phil groovin and droppin bombs. Good stuff.

Nicely played show. Sound was much better than in Reading. Everything was very clear from the 2nd row. I must have been really close to you louie. Sorry we didn't meet up again. Some day soon. I didn't get to meet up with Lulu either.

Highlight of the first set for me was the jam out of Girl On The Mountain, Peggy-O, and The Weight. Though I was disappointed Phil didn't take a verse on The Weight.

Second set highlight for me was the Lovelight>Sweet Baby's Arms>Lovelight. Pretty smooth transitions.

To be honest, I was a bit disappointed with the song selection. This show and Reading were the only two shows I was catching this tour so five repeats (with almost identical placement in the set) wasn't exactly what I was hoping for but I still enjoyed the show very much. I could have used a Dark Star, H>S>F, Unbroken, Eyes, etc. but so be it.

As a side note, some of the folks around me, four of which were in the front row, were a pain in the ass. When Phil would talk to the band through his mic in between songs or during jams, these people kept yelling "we can't hear you!" and would make motions to their ears. I saw Phil laugh about it one time. Then these same people talked almost the entire 2nd set and really killed the Mountains of the Moon for me. Who gets 1st row seats and talks the entire show???

I was more into the Reading show but still had a blast. I love zoning in on Molo and just watch that guy slam those skins. I was very impressed with Mookie last night too, more so than in Reading.

Anybody else think they were going into something else during GDTRFB? It looked to me like Phil was driving towards another song during the AWBYGN jam but then it ended. For a second there I thought we were getting a double encore.

Molo took off his hat right at the beginning of He's Gone. Kind of found that fitting in a way.

Damon, that was funny when you looked in while I was playing the...whatever that thing was...some sort of crown control barrier...while Hank was getting cash...I still gotta get the Mule tix from ya...i shoot ya a ring...

all in all probably the best played show out of the 4 I've seen, but I liked song selection better in Chicago...

It'd be nice to see Sunday Sound make more of an appearance. Tumbleeweed is stellar and Train Robbers might be a nice one for them to do. That's one of the best NEM tunes.

I am not sure why everyone expects perfection (no telemprompter usage) from CR when he just did a tour all year with a bunch of songs with his own band (The Crowes) that needed rehearsing over time.

This band was put together recently and they are playing a lot of tunes. To think all the lyrics can be loaded into someone's brain within 2 weeks or so is a little unrealsitic and why does it matter if you have a vocalist like Chris Robinson?

The whole idea of the band is it to be sort of an impromptu thing. That's the point. It's rock and roll and I wouldn't like it if it was all orchestrated anyway.

It's sort of ironic Dead fans complain about this thing when it took the Dead 5 minutes between songs to tune their instruments and perform as perfectly as people claim they did.

Lighten up. This is top notch music being performed by fantastic musicians. I don't think Phil would have asked Chris back time and again if it was a problem.

I would agree it would be better if he didn't have to read the teleprompter since he is such a great singer with the phrasing and delivery, but it is what it is and as long as it sounds good.

I realy enjoyed the jams in between songs. I thought I was hearing all sorts of different teases through out the night. I thought they were going to do cumberland when they were going into sweet's baby's arms the intro sounded very simmilar. I took my dad to the show and we had third row seets on the right hand side on the end. It got rather pushy shovey down there with all the people from the bleachers moving in to the isle and I had to tell the loud talkers standing next to me to shut up during peggy-o. My dad Loved Girl on the Mountain, Peggy-o, the weight, NFA, and the big river , love light,GDTRFB in the second set. It seens to me that Phil and everyone on stage is really having a blast and I can't wait for Bufffalo through ATL.

I do have to say that the venue was on the shity side of things . The sound was good from where I was (but I was right in front of the subs, the phil bombs felt good). My problem was the cluster fuck in the hallway and not enough bathrooms. It was a pushing and shoving match to get to the bathrooms during set break, and everyone was pissing in the sinks because the line was so long. I was sort of dissapointed in the way that the people my age were conducting them selves. I told 4 or 5 people to stop blowing cig smoke in my face 2 told me to fuck off one apologized and the other 2 gave me dirty looks like I was in the wrong. Its been over a year and a half sence I quit cold turkey and that is just what I want the fucking marlbro man chain smoking cigs in my face all night.

Anyway, all that aside, I think that this band is amazing and is doing fantistic things now. They also have soooooooo much potential and have only scratched the surface of where they can take this ever changing, morphing, body of music that all of us here have grown with and come to love.

sorry griswold- but for me the chris robinson vocal issue was more than just needing a teleprompter. let me first say this, i love his voice- i always liked his voice with the crowes and recently new earth mud- however- my beef with him is not that he needed a teleprompter ( i would never expect him to remember all the words) but that he was late on some verses. it kind of fucks up the song when he misses where he should enter. that being said, i had a great time last night- good to finally meet lulu and lude and to see damon again. the highlight for me was mountains and peggyo was fantastic. i hadn't seen phil in so long so for me it was great just to be there. barry is amazing- i was really impressed. all in all a good show

I just wanted to share some quick thoughts about last evening's Phil Lesh and Friends show here in Pittsburgh. I actually won two tickets from Jambase.com (yes, there are real winners) so my friend Joe and I headed over right around 7:30. There seemed like quite a few people outside of Duquesne's A.J. Palumbo Center -- maybe I just hadn't been to a larger indoor show in a while, lol. Once inside, though, it seemed to take some time before the cavernous venue to fill up a bit.

Our seats were pretty good. On the floor, first row of the second section, to the left. It became a bit of a nuisance as people decided to hang in the aisle during the show, but I guess it wasn't too bad. Good to see people dancing and getting down, I guess. (It was nice to be at a show and have a seat -- if only to put your water and coat somewhere.)

The show started about 20 minutes late. Mookie was on the left, then Barry, Chris, Phil, and Larry on the right . . .

Set One: Let the Good Times Roll, Tennesse Jed, Girl On the Mountain > Jam > Peggy-O, The Weight, Jam > Doin' That Rag, Not Fade Away

Let the Good Times Roll was a fun way to start. Nice and bouncy as people still filtered to their seats . . . Tennesse Jed was ok -- a bit forced. Just a tad. Both Barry and Larry had pedal steel guitars; Larry was on pedal for this song (they were never on both pedal during the same song). Really called attention to Chris's use of the teleprompter, actually.

[Note: I really like Chris's voice; I always have. And I think is quite a fun front-man for this version of Phil's band, and even adds some nice guitar work, as I will talk about. But his use of the teleprompter is noticeable. Not that it is a bad thing, and it is understandable if he just got off a Black Crowes tour where he had to relearn a boat-load of songs on top of his own, but I can see how it might annoy a small group of people . . . ]

I was not familiar with Girl On the Mountain, but it was clear that Chris was comfortable with it and I think that helped. For this one, Barry was on the pedal. I enjoyed the song itself, although it was a bit slow and drawn out . . . but as it progressed, it began to grow into the first jam of the evening. And what a jam it was! I wrote in my book that Larry took a nice solo, followed by a Other One-sounding jam. As it progressed, Chris actually took quite a nice solo on an electric guitar. That actually shocked me -- it was quite nice! This slowed down into an absolutely beautiful Peggy-O. Played damn well.

[Note 2: I realize it probably is quite hard to do with bands that do not have a history, nor the time to rehearse all that much, but the one complaint that I have will all of Phil's bands are the lack of smooth segues. They jam with the best of them -- seriously, with Molo and Phil driving that ship, how could you not?! But they build and build into this wonderful jam . . . and then just slow down and start a new song up from scratch. I guess I just wish it was smoother, somehow. Even the Phriends shows had choppy transitions. Oh, well. If that is my only recurring complaint . . . ]

The Weight was a nice surprise. I had goose-bumps, to be honest. Now, I wish they all took a verse, but I thought Chris handled the lyrics quite well.

Following The Weight, the band launched into a bit of a Jam. I thought I heard more of The Other One or even a China Cat . . . but what came out of it was Doin't That Rag. Another fun, bouncy song. I hadn't even thought of that song in some time, lol. Barry really ripped this one up. I was quite impressed with his playing at this point. Larry is quite a good player as well, but Barry really stood out.

I though the set was over with, to be honest. But they didn't wave or bow, so I stood there wondering what was coming. I did not at all expect Not Fade Away -- I guess Phil wanted to keep going! Or maybe it was a little nod to the energetic Pittsburgh crowd. Quite a fun way to end the set, that is for sure.

Very strong first set, held together by the jam out of Girl On the Mountain into Peggy-O, and then the Jam before Doin' That Rag.

Sittin' On Top of the World was quite similar to the first set opener. A great sing-along, jangly, pulling people into the set. Great harmonica work from Chris on this song, and some cool fiddle work from Larry. Quite nice. (Although I had just heard it earlier that day when I was listening to a show from a week earlier; I kind of wanted something new. I guess that is what I get for listening to shows . . . )

Again, a Chris song that I was not familiar with. Eagles On the Highway. From what I can remember, it was a bit darker than Girl On the Mountain. But still kind of slow and drawn out . . . and still leads into a wonderfully-played jam. (If this band only jammed from song to song, it would blow people away . . . One can dream. And really makes me interested for the two Scofield shows.) Big River grew out of the Jam. Which was kind of fitting, actually, as I kind of heard Sittin' On Top as Big River when it first started. It seemed to rage quite well at the end, from what I can remember.

The He's Gone that followed was pretty good (I was able to call it with Phil teasing it on his bass beforehand). I was happy to hear that song, and it was good. I kind of was hoping for a longer jam at the end with some more vocal play, but alas . . . I believe it was the jam after He's Gone where Chris left the stage -- and with this, the set really took some great turns. Larry went over to his guitar rack and pulled out this middle-eastern-looking acoustic instrument. I believe Barry was on pedal, here. And as Larry started to play, I heard a Mountains of the Moon. It was that instrument that Larry was playing that lead me to that -- and I was happy when Phil stepped up to the mic and started to sing. I have always been a sucker for that song, and this one was quite good. It even had this nice jam in the middle before the last verse.

They continued to jam out of Mountains On the Moon, and Larry switched instruments back up again. The jam really took off here, driving and dark. And before you knew it, Phil jumped right into the "Inspiration, move me brightly!" God, what a great surprise? And boy, wasn't this moving and different -- it seemed to be twice as fast as normal Terrapins. Very cool. Highlight of the set, if you ask me . . .

The driving jam continued as they finished Terrapin, Chris returned, and Lovelight slowly appeared. Just like with Sittin' On Top, I had just heard the Lovelight > Rollin' In > Lovelight sandwich earlier that day, so I could have done with something else. But it was good and fun and I was smiling, so who can complain, you know? Before the encore, Phil came out and did his ol' donor rap. He started out, though, by asking how many of us were students at Duquesne -- not many at all. He mentioned that maybe they were all studying for finals. He then went on to comment on the great energy given off by the rest of us and how there is still a community in our town. Made me cheer a bit . . . The Goin' Down the Road was fun, sure, but not my choice. Oh, well.

All in all, it was a fun night. The jams between the songs were what impressed me -- and I certainly want to hear them again. Almost one of those shows where you could make yourself a mix disc, clipping out just those good parts. If you have any interest, I would go see this incarnation. All are very good musicians, and they can only get better. I was a tad disappointed by the setlist, not getting my Help Slip Franklin's among a few others. But like I said, the must-hears are in the jams and the surprises (Mountains, Terrapin).

Pitt was fun, and had it's moments... but it could not compare the Chicago, especially Saturday's barnburner... which was the full-tilt rocker that I can never get enough of.

Pitt was much mellower, the twangy show as it were. But some great highlights - the Mts of the Moon was utterly spectacular mystical magic, one of the best ever. Maybe not as deep a jam as say 6/30/01 Berkeley, but the sound was so mystical w/ Sless on pedal steel and Larry on that --- dobro? lute? what is that thing, looks like the instrument the jester is playing on that one GD songbook... jam into Inspiration was stellar, i have loved that arrangement since seeing it 12/31/01... Lovelight rocked hard, and GDTRFB really had the groove going...

which was a nice way to finish, cuz there wasn't so much of that groove overall. But Big River was hot, the jam into Rag was stellar, Weight and Peggy-O both had beautiful pedal steel.

the jam into peggy o was the 1st meaty bite of the show, it sounded like they were going into jack straw for a minute, then broken arrow but actually settled into peggy o...which was nice but nothing that great, I kinda wish they had gone into broken arrow

the jam at the end of rag was hot, as was the nfa

the highlight of the show for me was big river, they rocked the shit out of it. I love he's gone, probably one of my favorite gd songs and this version was nice to hear, nothing great but solid. he's gone>mts. of the moon was the best song selection of the evening and the mountains was great, made me think of the first show I heard phil sing it(6/30/01) and this one stands up to it.

the terrapin was good, real speedy the way the q did it. the lovelight sandwich was great, super high energy. I thought they were going into cumberland until they landed in my sweet baby's arms... there were lots of teases all night; other one, china cat, rider, and all of the jams were top notch

over all a fun show, you gotta love seeing phil in your home town... makes me miss being on tour though...

Thanks for all the reviews, I appreciate your efforts. Seems like a pretty good consensus about what's working the best.

Saw a bunch of the same at NJPAC. Definitely feel that Peggy-O lacks some of the stellar emotions brought out by Jer or even by Bob/Phil/Joan taking turns on the verses at Garden State during Joan's return in Summer 2004.

Definitely love the SOTOW, Roll in ... at NJPAC, Larry's fingers were flying. I like Barry quite a bit too.

Much agreed that I wish the song catalog was bigger, that's what makes a five-show run so much fun, but I guess this band will need some time to build the repertoire.